[IC] The Protectors of Greensfen (Part II)

[nerdytenor]

Glaelyn chuckles magnanimously at Joshua. "Practical assistance? Right to the point. I like that!" She smiles broadly.

"I'm afraid I might be of rather too much assistance, as finding Baradur may prove the end of all of you. I believe I can guide you to Baradur's lair, or, at the very least, get you hot on his trail. You see, I knew Baradur before he named himself thus." Glaelyn's smile fades. "He was my student."

"Several years ago, he came under my tutelage - a few years before Mardrick and I met." Glaelyn sighs wistfully. "It is always a tricky thing with the darker magical arts - some, like Baradur, are a little too taken with the darkness, and become lost. It is a risk of the business, I'm afraid."

"Others are rather not comforatable enough, Mardrick being a good example. He's a good man - perhaps a little too good to be a warlock, if you know what a mean." She smiles again.

"I've lost my train of thought! Ah, yes. You see, Baradur was always interested in the animal kingdom, and was ever looking for ways to incorporate animal powers in his magical studies. I once caught him doing despicable things to some of the local fauna in my woods, and we had a heated argument about it. He did not return to me afterwards."

"I didn't give him much thought until about a month later, when I saw some rather... unnatural remnants of some home-brewed ritual not far from where I had seen him last."

"At any rate, it would appear he has become quite powerful indeed." Glaelyn holds up the teleporation stone Elloen used to escape. "This stone was created by him - I can smell his magic in it. In all honestly, I'm not sure if I could create something this powerful."

Glaelyn turns to face Joshua. "I can teach you a ritual, which, when performed properly with the stone, will create a magical compass in your mind for a few short minutes. You will feel a tug in the direction of the teleportation stone's destination, which will increase in strength as you come closer. This ritual cannot be performed more once a day, as the lingering magic is already barely discernable and will become quite weak indeed afterwards"

Glaelyn pauses. "This is all I can offer you by way of assistance. But before I do, I would like to know what you can tell me. Did you learn anything from Tromolden?"

 

[Arbanax]

Rellek looked at Todarr, his recollection of the mage was more based on his posturing and threats. But of all the group, only Todarr got close to him. Rellek wondered what he might offer.

[Sblock=crunch]

I was looking back over previous posts last night - I didn't get through them all, but unless I missed something or never reached it I think the above is correct, in so far as I can remember. But it would be Todarr who knew best and that would be privilaged character information wouldn't it?

[/sblock]

 

[covaithe]

"He said something about a cave, near the Swamps of Sending, at the mouth of... the Prism river? And then he fell asleep. Of course, this was after we hit him in the head a lot. " Karis explains.

 

[nerdytenor]

Glaelyn let's out a full-fledged belly-laugh. "Oh he did, did he? Oh indeed. Well, I have to give the treacherous mage credit - he had a sense of humor. Those locations are from an ancient bit of verse, and as far as anyone can tell, they never actually existed."

Glaelyn pauses to examine the party more closely. "I can tell your latest misadventure with Tromolden did not go off without incident. Did you find any others he was associating with? Did you find anything of interest?"

 

[Arbanax]

Rellek looked across to Joshua, he understood humans well enough to see from the mage's posture that he seemed tense.

As he thought back to what they had fought, he gave an involuntary shudder. The mind that had created the creatures, he felt must have been, as twisted as his unnatural creations. Why did magic make some feel that, just because they had the means, they equalled the right to twist nature in such despicable ways? Rellek pondered.

Then turning back to his friends he waited to see who'd offer what they knew.

Ab

 

[covaithe]

Karis frowns in concentration. "I should have known we'd get nothing useful from that mageling. Hmm. There were orcs in black robes there when we killed him, and a... thing that was part orc, part spider. And the orcs weren't right, either; it was like they were patched together from spare parts. They fell apart when we killed them. And right before we killed Tromolden, he said that another of Baradur's creations was coming. And sure enough, there was a walking mess of spider and orc parts stuck together every which way and waving axes around. And shooting crossbow bolts from the gods alone know where. If you taught him that... you need help. Seriously.

Oh, and we ran into some bats while chasing Tromolden. One of them was on fire. But I don't think they were with him..."

ooc: I'm not sure, OOC, what Glaelyn is getting at. Is it the orc connection? If not, I'm flailing in the dark, here.

 

[nerdytenor]

ooc: You're doing fine. I confess to a bit of stalling here as we refill our roster.

Glaelyn listens to the description of the fused orcs and spider with considerable interest, and her face sours with disgust. "He has done it then. Contemptible egomaniac. And it appears he has found some followers. I have heard rumors of a new cult forming, and I feared there might be some connection, but now I am certain of it. That they are the same group that attacked this village is no surprise, either."

Glaelyn sighs, and continues. "He always was a charming fellow, George. Yes, that was his name once. He had a way of telling people what they wanted to hear. It didn't take me long to see through it - I'm sure that's a big part of why we didn't get along so well."

"His cult must be destroyed. Baradur's actions are a violation of every natural and magical law I know. Even if had not attacked this village, enslaved its people, and seduced Elloen, he would still deserve death for his perverted cojoining of beasts and men."

 

[The Digger]

"He should die, right enough" grunted Joshua, "but whether its for his 'conjoining' or not is all a matter to me. I've taken on the job and I'll see it finished or die in the attempt."

It looked as though Joshua couldn't care less about Baradur and his animal experiments. In fact he sounded completely unconcerned about the whole thing.

"That Tromolden wasn't much of a wizard really. Went down pretty easy if you ask me." He gestured towards his companions "And even just with the few of us here his orc and spider things weren't too much of a challenge. You just show me that ritual and when we've had a sleep and some food we'll get right on with it."

He turned to walk away but then suddenly swivelled back around "And of course a bit more cash or, better still, any spare magic items wouldn't go amiss either."

 

[Arbanax]

Rellek listened as first Karis chimed in and then Joshua. He wasn't sure if he was tired, annoyed or up to something.

At which point Rellek felt the need for something to eat. His stomach growled hungrily.

[sblock]

Just giving you something to stall with if its not presumptuous of me NT.

Since we are actively recruiting it might be, as Joshua has indicated time to rest, recover etc and then carry this conversation on with our new recruits are in place?

I'm happy to carry on roleplaying the interlude whilst we wait.

[/sblock]

Rellek, though quiet used to trail rations, had never quite got over the need for a good meal following a good fight. His stomach didn't sound as if it was going to settle and until it got a measure of satisfaction. He wondered how long Glaelyn would be, and what he might find by way of game in the dead woods here about?

Ab

 

[nerdytenor]

With not much left to discuss, Joshua and Glaelyn begin to go over the ritual of the stone as the rest of the party files out of Mardrick's house.

[sblock=Joshua]
Once per day, you can perform a 10 minute ritual (no component cost) to 'tune' the stone to its teleportation destination. Your arcana skill check result gives you different levels of accuracy:

9 or less - no result
10 - 15 weak/vague signal
15 - 20 fairly strong signal
21+ strongest signal

The 'pull' lasts only a few minutes, regardless of strength.
[/sblock]

When the party emerges, they find Dardus and Mardrick engaged in a heated argument.

"How are they supposed to find Elloen if their forces are reduced?" Mardrick says to Dardus, gesticulating wildly. "They need all the help they can get!"

"Mardrick," Dardus says, clearly losing patience, "our ranks our thin. We need to bolster our ranks. Almost all the city guard are dead or fled. Without such as these to help keep watch," Dardus indicates the party, "Elloen will have no home to return to. And perhaps no husband, either."

"Dardus, I..."

"Enough!" Dardus interrupts. He pauses to think, trying to cool down. "These are strong warriors, Mardrick. We don't need all of them to stay. Perhaps one or two. If they are willing of course," he adds.

"But with only three, the rescue effort will be barely at half strength!" Mardrick says.

"Mardrick, it's not just a rescue effort! They are here to protect our entire town!"

The pace of the argument intensifies as the party watches, unsure what to do.

OOC: New players, this would be your cue to bust in! In case my forcing of the plot weren't totally obvious, Todarr and Moreen will be staying behind to help with the defense of the town while the rest of you (I hope) will be heading out.